In 2021, the number of people initiating or continuing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in England was 61,092 or 69.6% of those identified as requiring the treatment at sexual health services. PrEP has been initiated or continued for residents of all upper tier local authorities where the need has been identified.

Sexual and reproductive health services are open. They have reduced their face-to-face appointments to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection but they will be able to see urgent, priority or vulnerable clients in person. Services are also maintaining access during this time through scaling up on online services. This can be achieved through a variety of routes, such as increasing eligibility through current provision or utilising a neighbours’ service for residents of another local authority. Public Health England is also seeking to establish a national framework for online sexual and reproductive health services that local areas can choose to commission for their residents.

NHS England has published a number of specialty guides to help hospital departments continue essential care for patients within their speciality, whilst supporting the wider hospital and community in providing care for patients with COVID-19. On 26 March 2020, NHS England published a letter about the importance of maintaining the provision of tuberculosis services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK government is committed to remaining a world leader in tackling global diseases and ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030. We are already working towards this goal through our substantial investment to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria which has saved 17 million lives.

We are currently undertaking a number of internal reviews to ensure we are in the right place to deliver our objectives and maximise our value for money and impact. Our future contributions to the Global Fund and country programmes are being considered as part of this. We will lay out further investment plans in the future.